Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-03-25
THEIR VOICE WAR
AVERY FLATTRRING PROSPECT OF LONG
LEGAL WRANGLB
Between The City and the Wheeling Electrical OOm-
pany-A Meeting LastNight, at Which
Nothing Was Done.

There is no doubt but that the city ISL
for n b;g law suit. and one which may or
NAV not benefit the municipality. ms
prospective Job for the lawyers looms up
ont of the seeming determination OF a large
majority of the members of Council 70
wage an aggressive warfare against the
cornoration known as the Wheeling Elec-
trical Company, which has lately erected
poles and wires upon the streets'and put
some three hundred i~ncandescent lights IN
operation in places of business, the territory
covered embracing three or four squaresln
the heart of the city.
A Joint meeting of the Board OF Gas
Trustees and the Committee on Lights was
called to meet at the City Hall last even
ing, to take the initial steps in the matter
under the resolutions passed at last Tues
days meeting Of Council. These resolu-
tons were offered by Messrs. Caldwell and
Jones, the one by the first named gentle
man giving the Trustees and Committee
power to institute legal proceedings at
their discretion against the Electrical Com
pany, in the name oil the city, and that by
the last named gentleman requiring the
Board of Public Works TO prevent the cree
ton of any more poles by the Company.
The Trustees were on hand early last
evening but there was a decided DISPOSE
ton on the part Of the gentlemen OF the
committee to hang back, and at nine
o'clock only four members, to-wit, Messrs.
Butts, Farrell, Prayer and Steger,. having
appeared, the gentlemen dispersed until a
future day. During the hour and a hall
the gentlemen were waitingthe appearance
| of enough members to make a quorum OF
the committee, the situation was talked
over pretty thoroughly, and the disposition
seemed to be to at once carry the matter
into the Courts. The mode of procedure
will probably be to arraign the officers OF
the Electrical Company In the
Police Court for digging up the streets
without the permission of the Board OF
Public Works. 1t is supposed the Com
pany will at once appeal this case to the
Circuit Court, and at once the whole mat
ter will be opened up. There was also
an intimation dropped that the Courts
might be asked to enioin the Electrical
Company from operating its plant, but
whether this course will be pursued or not
is extremely uncertain.
The entire question is n deeply con-
corning the public, and a great deal OF in
terest is manifested in it on all sides.
Opinions as to the best policy to be pursued
by the city vary greatly, but there IS great
unanimity upon n point, and that isthat
n better and cheaper light should be pro-
vided in some The quality oil
gas furnished by the city is very unsatls-
factory TO consumers, while the bills are IN
many instances out of all proportion to the
amount of light given. The question
| of revenue to the city is also an important
one. and while there is no desire TO see
any private enterprise cripple the finances
of the city, many OF II people Ill
the present policy of attacking the Eiectri-
cal Company is not II judlcious
one, inasmuch as an appeal TO the Courts
may result in something directly the OPP
posite to that desired by Council and the
GaS Trustees.
A large taxpayer and also Il large gas
consumer said last night THE curt2ll-
ment of tine gas works revenues would not
place any heavier burdens upon taxpayers,
because if direct taxation should he in
creased, the indirect taxation for light
would be diminished in the same or 4
greater propOrtiOn-in other words, | pay
30 much money to the city in taxes, and
80 much for light. | shut OIL the gas
and substitute electricity or natural gas
at half the cost. The revenues of the gas
works falling off, taxation is increased,
but the difference in the cost of light Is
such that can well afford to pay a higher
tax rate, and still have 4 much more salts
factory light. There is another point, too.
| have Il chance to take my choice OF lights
l nave some freedom of actiOn-whereas
now, il / don't want to use gas must
burn lamps or shut up my place OF bust
Ness after dark. The city is 4 m~OnOpOllst,
and a m%OnOpolist is very unpopular.
OF course, there is another side to this
the question of protecting the interests OF
the city-and the subsequent proceedings
and the final outcome will he watched with
deep interest by all. One thing is sure,
the matter will not be settled in 4 hurry.